Forbidden (Kelly Severide)

Chapter 34

The sun was warm, the ocean a sparkling blue that stretched to the horizon. Ivy and Kelly had arrived at their honeymoon destination—a beautiful beach resort tucked away on a quiet island. It was everything they had imagined: peaceful, secluded, and a much-needed break from the chaos of their everyday lives at the firehouse. After the whirlwind of the wedding, it felt good to finally have some time alone together, just the two of them.

They spent their days lounging by the beach, sipping on fruity cocktails, and enjoying each other's company without the constant ringing of fire alarms or the chatter of firefighters. For the first time in a long time, it was just them—no work, no responsibilities, no Elianna needing their attention.

But by the third day, Ivy found herself missing their daughter more than she expected. She lay in the hammock beside Kelly, the gentle sway of the ocean breeze lulling them into a serene silence, but her mind kept drifting back to home.

"I miss her," Ivy said softly, her eyes closed as she thought of Elianna's little giggles and the way she had started walking more confidently around the house just before they left.

Kelly opened one eye and looked at her, smiling. "Elianna?"

"Yeah." Ivy chuckled, turning her head to look at him. "I know this was supposed to be our break, but I can't stop thinking about her—and Matt. I wonder how he's handling her."

Kelly grinned. "Matt's probably loving it. You know he's spoiling her."

Ivy laughed. "Yeah, he probably is. But still, it's weird not having her around. I want to see her face."

Kelly reached for his phone, flipping it open and scrolling through his contacts. "Want to video call the firehouse? I'm sure Matt's there with her."

Ivy sat up excitedly. "Yes! Let's do it."

A few moments later, Kelly had the call connected. The screen flickered, and there was Matt, standing in the common room of Firehouse 51 with Elianna perched on his hip, smiling her toothy little grin.

"Hey!" Matt greeted them, his voice coming through the speaker with a bit of static. "Look who decided to call."

Ivy's heart melted as soon as she saw Elianna's face on the screen. "There's my baby girl!" she cooed, waving at the screen. "Hi, sweetie! Mama misses you."

Elianna babbled in response, waving her tiny hand back at the screen, and Ivy's heart nearly burst.

"Don't worry, she's been an angel," Matt said with a grin, adjusting her on his hip. "She's had everyone here doting on her all day."

"Everyone?" Kelly asked, raising an eyebrow.

The camera shifted, and they saw the rest of the firehouse crew lounging around the common room. Cruz, Herrmann, Mouch, and Sylvie were all there, waving at the camera.

"Hey, honeymooners!" Cruz called out, a teasing grin on his face. "How's paradise treating you?"

"It's perfect," Kelly replied, wrapping an arm around Ivy's shoulder. "But someone here's missing you guys."

"I miss Elianna," Ivy clarified with a laugh, shaking her head at Kelly. "But I miss all of you too."

"Oh, don't worry," Herrmann chimed in. "We're taking good care of her. Matt's been trying to teach her how to play hockey, though."

"Not true," Matt interjected quickly, holding up a hand. "I just showed her a stick. She's a natural."

Ivy giggled, rolling her eyes. "That's what I'm worried about."

The camera panned back to Elianna, who was now playing with a little stuffed Dalmatian toy, a gift from the firehouse, no doubt. Her giggles filled the room, and Ivy's heart swelled with love.

"Honestly, though, it won't be long before you two are back and she's got a sibling," Cruz said with a smirk, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

The room erupted in laughter, everyone throwing in their own teasing comments about Ivy and Kelly's future.

"Yeah, Kelly, you better get used to changing diapers!" Mouch called out, his booming laugh filling the room.

"Or maybe you'll get another firefighter in the family!" Herrmann added, grinning.

Ivy couldn't help but laugh along with them, but she also felt the weight of their words settle in her mind. More kids? It wasn't something she had really thought about seriously, but the idea lingered, making her heart race a little.

"All right, all right, enough of that," Kelly said, waving them off with a grin. "We'll talk about that when we get back. For now, enjoy your time with Elianna."

"Don't worry, we will," Matt said, smiling warmly. "Take your time, we've got her covered."

After a few more minutes of chatting, Ivy and Kelly said their goodbyes, with Ivy blowing kisses through the screen at Elianna. As the call ended, Ivy leaned back into the hammock, her smile fading slightly as her thoughts drifted to what Cruz had said.

Kelly noticed the shift in her mood, his arm still wrapped around her. "What's going on in that head of yours?" he asked softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

Ivy hesitated, biting her lip before answering. "Do you think they're right? About more kids?"

Kelly didn't respond right away. Instead, he shifted, turning to face her more fully. "Do you want more kids?" he asked gently, his eyes searching hers.

"I... I don't know," Ivy admitted, feeling a little overwhelmed. "I mean, I love Elianna so much. She's everything to me. But the idea of adding another baby right now, or anytime soon... I don't know if I'm ready for that."

Kelly nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's not something we have to decide right away," he said. "We're still figuring everything out with Elianna, and we've got plenty of time to talk about the future."

"I guess," Ivy said softly, her mind still racing. "I just... I don't want to disappoint you."

Kelly's brow furrowed in confusion. "Disappoint me? Ivy, you could never disappoint me."

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "But what if you want more kids, and I don't? Or what if I do, but I'm not ready for it yet?"

Kelly cupped her face in his hands, his touch gentle but firm. "Ivy, listen to me. Whether we have more kids or not, it's your choice too. We're a team. I'm not going to pressure you into anything, and I don't want you to feel like you have to make a decision right now. We'll figure it out together, whenever you're ready."

Tears welled up in Ivy's eyes, but she blinked them away, nodding as she leaned into his touch. "Thank you, Kelly. I just... I didn't expect to be thinking about all of this on our honeymoon."

Kelly chuckled softly. "Yeah, leave it to Cruz to plant that seed. But honestly, I'm happy with just the three of us for now. We've got our hands full with Elianna, and she's enough for me right now."

Ivy smiled, her heart feeling a little lighter. "Yeah, me too."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the sound of the ocean waves crashing in the distance. Ivy rested her head on Kelly's shoulder, feeling grateful for the man she had married—the man who always put her feelings first, who loved her unconditionally.

"Besides," Kelly added with a teasing grin, "we've got plenty of time to work on that whole 'more kids' thing, whenever you're ready."

Ivy laughed, swatting his arm playfully. "You're impossible."

"I try," he said with a wink, pulling her closer as they both settled back into the hammock, the conversation about kids temporarily set aside.

For now, they had each other, Elianna, and a lifetime of love ahead of them. And that was more than enough.